2. Coty powder – I’ve been using this since I was a teenager. My mom made me use this when all my other girlfriends were using compact powder. Having grown up with acne herself, she never wanted me to put any extra gunk on my face. My complexion thanks her for it.

3. Cetaphil – yes, again a mom recommended product. Her dermatologist recommended it and I have such sensitive skin that it works well for me, especially during dry, cold weather when my face thinks water is an astringent.

And here are two of my own…

4. Jergens Facecream $4 – or as my mom calls it, the jar with the three faces. So old school and so moisturizing. I’m sure dermatologists will disagree, but it leaves my face buttery soft at night when I remove all my make up at night.

5. Agustin Reyes’ Royal Violets Cologne – so heavenly and naturally fragrant. I hate sweet scents. This cologne is less than $7 and smells like flowers. Clean and pretty.

What about you? Do you have any drug store beauty secrets? Share below!

Today is Hedy Lamarr‘s 101th birthday. Very rarely do you meet a woman quite like her. A beautiful woman, a celebrated film actress, and an inventor. And like important stuff. Stuff we use today! The principles of her work in the 1940s are now being used in WiFi, CDMA and Bluetooth technology. And we thought Amal Clooney was all that!

She was married six times. And there’s no wonder – a woman like Hedy would intimidate most men. I doubt they could appreciate her awesomeness.

Even Google is celebrating her today with a truly delightful animated clip. Check out Google’s Google Doodle.

I was thinning out my personal vintage dress collection and realized I had several pieces that I purchased knowing my own measurements very, very well and when I received my items they just didn’t fit.

Either my arms were too fat, or my rib cage was too wide. Yes, it even happens to professionals. So frustrating. Especially since I wasn’t able to return it as soon as I knew it wouldn’t work. I’m sure this has happened to you.

As a collector and vintage shop owner, it made me question my own return policy. Why would I put limits on my amazing customers that I don’t appreciate myself?

So I changed it!

I know this might be unpopular with many other sellers, and I fully understand, but I also understand the fear and frustration as a wearer of vintage when you receive a valuable piece or special dress and it doesn’t fit. It’s not like I am buying Extra Small when I know damn well I wear a 14 in 1950s dresses.

It was a tough decision for the following reasons:

vintage is hard to find – what if something happens to it?

there are some shady people out there who wear things and send them back

it’s not my fault people don’t measure the basics like bust, waist, hips

These are all valid and realistic reasons. But then I thought about my customers – especially the ones who have been with me since 2005! The ones who know I sell quality and don’t haggle with me. And really I changed policy for them. And for people like me who are hunting for fantastic vintage, are willing to pay the price for quality, and are honest people.

Those kind of vintage loving gals are the ones I love and want to be friends with. They are worth the risk.

Styleite published a blog post back in February about vintage problems. Although it was funny and a fun read, it did have some glaring errors (read #6). So here’s a seasoned vintage wearer and seller’s take on vintage problems…

1. Your torso is too long for 50s dresses
2. You hate wearing lycra foundational garments necessary to fit the wasp waist dresses
3. You have curves and a petticoat would make you look like a piñata
4. You bought an 80s does 40s dress buy accident
5. Armpit stains (P.S. use Folex spray)
6. Having to stick your vintage wool in the freezer for 2 weeks to kill any bugs
7. Rubbing that plastic bangle vigorously at the thrift store and taking a whiff
8. There isn’t enough seam allowance to let the waist or hips out just one more inch
9. A hack job of a hemline
10. Devil dust! When the synthetic lining disintegrates and you have to figure out a way to get it all out
11. Nicotine smell
12. Deciding you DO want that dress and it’s gone when you go back
13. Your family and friends always asking, “Why do you like that dead old lady stuff?”

Ok, I have to admit. Most of my Barbies ended up with some horrific makeovers. Hair cut with Crayola scissors created some interesting avant garde hairstyles. My markers made Barbie look like she was a MAC cosmetics model. But of course I always wished I could live in the glamorous world that Barbie lived in.

Photographer David Parise captures the wonderous Barbie world in his photos featuring Barbie and crew living the glam life in Miami. I especially love Barbie and gal pal lounging by the pool smoking ciggies. And if you’re missing Mad Men, Barbie’s swinging cocktail party can take care of your withdrawal symptoms.

It’s been a while! Sorry. I have been really busy packing, moving, unpacking. I moved into a beautiful new space, just across the street from the old showroom. Still in the exciting Arts Colony in Downtown Pomona, CA (most eastern part of LA County).

I love it! It’s a bit more space, but more importantly, it’s ground level. Now visitors don’t have to feel weird about coming up to the 3rd floor of an old Art Deco building.

The building itself was built in 1910 and registered as a historic building. My space used to be the entrance and reception desk of the hotel above the store front. The exterior is a massive and stoic facade of aged bricks, typical of 1910.

My favorite feature is the entrance of the now converted space! When you slide open the beautiful barn doors, you’re greeted with elegant French paned doors.

I’ll be having a Grand Re-Opening celebration during the Pomona Art Walk, May 9, 2015. Cocktails, beer and fun, stylish people. If you are local, PLEASE COME!

One of my most favorite Vintagepreneurs™ and mentors is Doris Raymond of the Way We Wore. Her vintage shop in Los Angeles is a treasure trove of some of the finest and rarest vintage on the market. If any vintage seller deserves to be spotlighted by the Smithsonian it would be Doris. She is back on the Smithsonian Channel with her entertaining show LA Frock Stars. I really loved watching her go on buying adventures and the many celebs that come into her La Brea shop. I can’t wait to see what adventures she takes us on.

From the press release…

Smithsonian Channel will premiere the second season of its critically-acclaimed original series L.A. FROCK STARS, which follows the doyenne of Hollywood vintage, Doris Raymond, and her Los Angeles shop The Way We Wore®, on Thursday, MARCH 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The new season will be comprised of six hour-long episodes. Among those who stop by The Way We Wore during the season are burlesque artist Dita von Teese, designer Jeremy Scott, actress Debi Mazar, actress Kirsten Vangsness, top Hollywood stylist Jen Rade, American Horror Story costume designer Lou Eyrich, stylist to the stars Seth Chernoff and Academy® Award-winning costume designer Mark Bridges.

In a series US Weekly called “a feast for the fashion lover’s eye,” and the New York Times said was both “refreshing” and “engaging,” L.A. FROCK STARS features Raymond and her colorful staff assisting an endless stream of clients, from celebrity stylists to top fashion designers, all searching relevant pieces of vintage fashions from the past. Raymond is prized for her tenacity in finding hidden gems and for her encyclopedic knowledge of designer fashion. Back for season two are store manager and vintage virtuoso Sarah Bergman, and sales associate Shelly Lyn, who is close to launching her The Way We Wore inspired jewelry line. A new face this season is assistant store manager Angelika Sjostrom, a recent vintage convert, whose intelligence, enthusiasm and cheerful disposition have made her an invaluable asset to the store.

I have to be honest. I’m so glad 2014 is done. It wasn’t the best of years for me creatively or personally. That’s what’s great about a new year. As soon as it strikes 12, you can start over. Like starting with an A at the semester in school. And of course resolutions are mandatory. But I have decided that I only have three for Debutante Clothing this year:

1. List a ton more vintage treasures (because I was hoarding last year)

If you have an obsession with vintage jewelry and accessories, chances are your home is accessorized in vintage too. One King Lane was one of the first home decor marketplaces to carry vintage jewelry and accessories. Chairish.com is the newest online marketplace that offers all vintage home decor, lighting, furniture and vintage jewelry and accessories.

The site is really beautiful and easy to navigate. The selection very well curated, with each piece being approved by specialized curators. Prices are reasonable for the caliber of the selection. Designer labels are mixed with unique and collectible pieces. Chanel, Hermes, Dior, Monet – you name it.

I am completely addicted to Chairish now. Not only do I get my vintage accessories fix, but now I can drool over the furniture and decor as well.

And I’m super excited to be part of the curated collection. Debutante Clothing has a few pieces for sale, with many more coming. Check out my selections!